Taking from the Beard Beyond a Handful and the Practice of the Companions

Question:
The questioner says: I read Your Eminence’s fatwa regarding the prohibition of taking from the beard beyond a handful. What is Your Eminence’s view on what is established from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbas, and ‘Amr ibn al-‘As that they took from it beyond a handful?

Answer:
The authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) indicate that it is obligatory to let the beard grow, leave it long, and preserve it, and that it is not permissible to take anything from it, whether less than a handful or more than a handful. I do not know that this is established from anyone other than Ibn ‘Umar; this is well known. In any case, if it were established from someone else, the ruling would be the same. No one’s word or action is valid against the Sunnah. The Sunnah governs everyone, and no one’s opinion governs the Sunnah. “And whatever you disagree about, refer it to Allah and the Messenger” is the verse. Therefore, no one’s word or action is valid if it contradicts the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.